Environment & Ecology MCQs - 2026-09-14

Urbanization, encroachment for infrastructure development, and conversion of wetlands for agricultural expansion are direct human activities that lead to significant loss and degradation of wetland areas in India. While other options are also threats, these direct human pressures are often the most pervasive.

The Ramsar Convention, adopted in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, is the only global treaty focused on wetlands. India is a signatory to this convention and has designated numerous Ramsar Sites.

While some wetlands may have trees, their primary ecological services do not include large-scale commercial timber production, which is typically associated with forests. Wetlands are crucial for water quality, flood mitigation, and biodiversity.

The White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis), along with the Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus) and Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris), are critically endangered in India. Himalayan Griffon is 'Near Threatened', Cinereous Vulture is 'Near Threatened', and Egyptian Vulture is 'Endangered'.

Diclofenac, when administered to livestock, becomes highly toxic to vultures that feed on the carcasses of treated animals, leading to kidney failure. Its veterinary use was banned in India in 2006.

The VCAP 2020-2025 aims to achieve zero vulture deaths from NSAIDs by 2025 and ensure the conservation of the remaining vulture populations through various measures including breeding programs and safe zones.